Tirupati,Feb 26 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 29th Southern Zonal Council meeting here on March 4 which will deliberate several issues like river water disputes of all southern states and pending bifurcation issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The burning issue of distribution of Krishna and Godavari river waters between AP and Telangana states, since the bifurcation of the United AP, is likely to come up in the meeting.
The AP government has nominated State Panchayat Raj Minister P Ramachandra Reddy and former Special Chief Secretary Premchandra Reddy to present the state case on water allocations.
The Southern Zonal Council meeting will also deliberate on water issues between southern states on Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, and Periyar rivers.
The disputes on Mullaperiyar Dam between (Kerala & Tamil Nadu), Almatti dam (AP, Telangana & Karnataka), Cauvery water share( Tamil Nadu & Karnataka) will also likely to be deliberated in the meet.
The Union Jal Shakti Ministry has already sent the agenda on Krishna and Godavari board issues to the two telugu states. Both the boards have suggested discussions on several projects grounded by both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states without seeking Central Water Commission (CWC) approval and failure to present DPRs to the board.
Similarly both AP and Telangana states have prepared presentations against each other for pushing projects like Polavaram in AP and Kaleswaram in Telangana besides many other project revisions, official sources said.
The Council will also deliberate on the linking of all major southern rivers like Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Penna with Mahanadi river in Odisha to permanently resolve water tussles between all.
The council comprises of states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry as members and Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep as special invitees.
Chief ministers, lieutenant governor and administrators of eight states will participate along with their respective Chief Secretaries, advisors and other senior officers.
